Lewes considers homeless help after Second Street incident

A recent encounter with a group of homeless people on Second Street has the City of Lewes looking for new ways to help the unhoused.

According to Mayor Amy Marasco and Police Chief Tom Spell, three to four people arrived between late September and early October. The people took advantage of the open-door policy at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and slept inside at night, according to the Rev. Jeff Ross.

But, Ross said, during the day, they moved their belongings to the sidewalk outside church grounds. Marasco said she talked with them several times while walking her dog.

“I asked them if they were OK and needed help,” she said. “I don’t know why they put their gear on the street, which made them more visible.”

Spell said police received more than a dozen complaints and phone calls. He said the number of complaints about the homeless has increased in the last year. Spell said police did make one arrest for trespassing and offensive touching of an officer during a recent encounter.

But, he said, while they won’t tolerate criminal behavior, police are there to help.

“Being homeless is not a crime,” Spell said. “We go to great lengths to ensure that we treat them with dignity and respect, like we do with all citizens. We don’t want to pick on them because of their circumstances. A lot of citizens have seen them on Second Street. But I want everyone to know that we’ve interacted with them, we know them, we check on their welfare and try to pair them with resources.”

Marasco praised Spell for the way his department interacts with homeless people.

The mayor invited Nancy Alexander from the Community Resource Center in Rehoboth Beach and Carolyn Kelly from Family Promise in Lewes to address a workshop about the growing need for resources for the homeless.

Alexander said they are seeing record numbers of people who need assistance.

“We’ve seen a 6% to 8% increase in daily visitation to our food rescue. We have a baby pantry, which last week saw its highest number ever of visiting families,” she said.

The CRC will launch its winter program Monday, Dec. 1. The program is a day shelter that offers a hot lunch and other services. Alexander said they have 3,200 visits annually. She said the shelter is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CRC gave out 135 meals to its clients at a holiday food rescue distribution Nov. 20-22.

Council awarded CRC $15,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act last December and $60,000 in ARPA funds to Family Promise in 2022.

Last year, council also gave $25,000 to the Tharros Tent Village on Coastal Highway, outside city limits.

Marasco said those organizations are not eligible to apply for the city’s annual nonprofit grant program because they are not incorporated in the city.

Ross said St. Peter’s serves as a shelter 24-7.

“We never lock the doors,” Ross said. “We have three rules: respect the space, respect each other and do not do alcohol or drugs while you’re there. This summer, we had to add a fourth rule: Keep your clothes on at all times.”

He said their blessing box on Second Street gets filled and emptied with food every day.

Council discussed ways it might be able to bolster its help for the homeless.

Kerry Tripp, who serves as vice chair of the finance committee, suggested a subcommittee on homelessness and food insecurity.

“Everybody shares what they’re doing, and we write that up in a list that Lewes police can give out to everyone they encounter, so they see what programs are out there,” Tripp said. 

Tripp said Spell was enthusiastic about the idea.

Tripp also suggested possible financial assistance for transportation to get people to those resources.